Electrical connector



May 16, 1961 w. F, HENNEssEY, JR., ETAL 2,984,811

` ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Filed Feb. 6, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Y Baum/WWW May 16, 1961 w. F. HENNESSEY, JR., ETAL 2,984,811

ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 6, 1957 United States Patent O i ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Walter F. Hennessey, Jr., and George J. Swanson, Sidney,

N.Y., assignors to The Bendix Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Filed Feb. 6, 1957, Ser. No. 638,598

14 Claims. (Cl. 339-45) l This invention relates to electrical connectors, and particularly relates to a device for separably connecting electrical conduits.

It is an object of the invention to provide a novel s eparable connector, o'f the pin and socket type, which is of simple, rugged, compact construction.

l Another object of the invention is to provide an electrical connector of the type indicated which is economically manufactured, the two main portions lof the connector being quickly and easily assembled, such two main portions of the connector being selectively, quickly and securely connected and locked together or disconnected from each other.

p Another Iobject is to provide -a separable electrical connector of such construction that the two main connector portions may be separated by pulling apart rigid metallic elements securely connected, respectively, to the pins and sockets of the connector, thereby preventing the imposing of connector-separating strains upon either of the cables connected thereby.

",'Ifhe above and further objects and novel lfeatures of the invention will `more fully appear from the following detailed description when the same is read in connection with the. accompanying drawings. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for the purpose of illustration only and are not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention.

In the drawings, wherein like characters refer to like parts throughout the several views,

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of an electrical conhector made inaccordance with one embodiment of the invention, the two main connector portions or parts being 4shown in assembled relationship.

Fig. 2 is a View in end elevation of the assembled connector of Fig. l, the view -being taken from the line 2 2 ofFig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an exploded view of the main elements of the connector of the invention, certain of the elements -being shown with portions broken away and in section.

Fig. 4 is a view in longitudinal axial section through the `assembled connector, the portion of the connector at the right being shown in vertical longitudinal section, certain of the parts being shown in elevation.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged View in longitudinal axial section through the outer sleeve member which carries a portion l.of bayonet connect-ing means which retains the main parts lof `the connector in assembled relationship, the sinusoidal spring in such sleeve being shown in elevation.

;` Fig..6 `is a view in side elevation of theconnector with its two main parts in disassembled relationship, an elec- 2,984,811` Patented May 16, 1961 trical cable vbeing shown connected to one of the main parts of the connector.

Fig. 7 is a view in side elevation of an electrical connector made in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention, the locking sleeve acting between the main connector parts being shown partially broken away and in section, the two main connector parts being shown fully engaged.

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7, but with the locking sleeve partially turned toward the position. in which it is fully disengaged from one of the connector parts.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary view of the side wall of the locking sleeve in attened or developed form to illustrate the contour o-f a typical bayonet slot or groove therein.

The connector of the invention may be employed to advantage where it is necessary to connect the wires of a cable to the corresponding wires of a similar cable in such manner that the two cables may be easily and quickly disconnected when required. The connector -is of advantage because of its small size, the ruggedness of its construction, the positiveness with which it retains the main parts of the connector in assembled relationship, and the ease with which the connector parts may -be assembled and disassembled. The connector is particularly of advantage in that it provides manipulating means whereby the main connector parts may be moved apart without imposing any connector-separating strain upon either of the cables thus connected.

The illustrative connector made in accordance with the lirst embodiment of the invention, illustrated in Figs. 1-6, inclusve, is generally designated 12. Such connector is made up of a first connector part 10 (Figs. 3 and 6) and a second main connector part 11 (Figs. 3 and 6) which are pulled apart and disconnected from each other whenit is desired to disconnect the two cables. As shown more clearly in Fig. 3, connector part 11 has a body portion 14, a sleeve -15 normally telescoped over body 14 and bearing a part of a bayonet connection whereby the main connector parts 10 vand 111` may be selectively locked together, a cable clamping sleeve 16, and a nut 17 which retains sleeve 16 on body 14. Parts 14, '15, 16 and 17 are assembled to form main connector part 111 in the manner shown in Fig. 4 and to `be described hereinafter.

The rst main part 10 of the connector has a generally cylindrical metal shell 1-9 within which there is retained (by conventional means, not shown) a rubber or rubberlike insert 20 in which are positioned a plurality of spaced electrically conducting socket contacts 21. The outer end of each socket contact is provided with a solder well (not shown), adapted to be connected to the various wires 22 of a tirst cable. Connector part 10 is provided with a flange, as shown, whereby it may be connected' to a iixed part of an apparatus such as an airplane or automobile. i

The second connector part 11 has 4a generally cylindrical shell Z4 which, when the main connector partsare assembled, is positioned coaxial of shell 19 of the first connector part. A rubber or rubber-like insert 25 is positioned `within shell 24 and is retained thereinby conventional means, insert 25 carrying a plurality of contact pins 26 corresponding in number and position to socket contacts 21, so that when the connector parts are assembled the pins 26 are received within and make electrical connection with the socket contacts 21. The shellsbflthe connector parts are provided with intertting keying 2,984,811 e r Y f means whereby to insure the ycorrect assembly of the connector parts, and to prevent the intertting pin and socket contacts from being subjected to sidewise stresses as they are engaged and disengaged. In Fig. 3 there is shown such an interitting keying means made up of a longitudinally extending slot or keyway 65 in the forward end portion 27 of shell 14, and a longitudinally extending rib or key 66 on the inner Wall of Shell 19 of the other co'nnecting part. Keyway 65 and key 66 are positioned, as shown, so as accurately tol interft when the connector parts` are advanced to engage each other. The forward end 27 of shell 24 is of reduced diameter and is snugly and accurately received within the inner end of shell 19 asshoyvn inFig. 4, Preferablythe inserts 20 and 25 are ofl such axial length that when the main connector parts are assembled the inserts have a sealing, face-to-face engagement.

' Each of contact pins 26 has an outwardly projecting solder well 29` whereby it may be connected to the appropriate one of-thel wires shown schematically at 30 makingl up cable 57 (Fig. 6). Thus, when the connector is assembled as shown in Fig. 4, it provides an electrical connection therethrough from the `wires 30 of cable 57 to the wires of another cable connected to wires 22. When, however, the connector parts are disassembled as shown in Fig. 6, each of the circuits therethrough is broken. As above` indicated, the connector of the present invention provides means whereby the connecto'r parts may be securely locked in assembled position and, when desired, may readily be separated without imposing any connector `separating stress upon the cables.

A plurality (three shown) of equally spaced radially projecting pins 31 are provided on shell v19 adjacent the innerend thereof. The forward end 34 of sleeve 15 is provided with three short axially extending slots 33 to receive pins 31, each of slots 33 :connecting with the respective outer end of three helically disposed bayonet slots 35 through the side wall of end 34 of sleeve 15. A terminal seat orpocket 36 is provided at the inner end of each slot 35, so as stably to retain the pins 31 therein when the sleeve 15 has been turned clockwise (Fig. 2) to effect locking of the bayonet connection.

Sleeve 15 has a radially inwardly projecting flange 37 thereon, the inner edge of such flange accurately receiving the cylindrical intermediate portion of shell 24. Axially inwardlyr of ange 37, sleeve 15 has an annular recess 39k of appreciable axial extent, the inner end of recess 39 being formed by an internal shoulder 42 on sleeve 15. Seated within recess 39 with its broad extent generallytransverse t the axis of shell 24 is a sinusoidal spring 40 in the form of a split ring of such internal diameter that it is slidingly received upon the outer surfaceY of the intermediate portion of shell 24 and abuts a shoulder 41 near the inner end of the main portion of shell 24. The undulations in spring 40 are of such axial extent that, when the shells 24 and 19 are assembled as shown in Fig. 4 with the inner end of shell 19 in contact withshoulder 43 on shell 24, spring 40 is subjected to substantial axial compression when the bayonet connection is fully engaged, thereby stably to retain pins 31 of the bayonet connection in the terminal pockets 36 on Sleevel 15. Such compression of spring 40 constantly urges the shells '19 and 24 and their inserts 20 and 25, respectively, toward each other. Thus, the main parts of the connector are held secured against accidental loosening or disengagement when the bayonet connection is thus fully engaged.

Connector part 11 is further provided with a cable clamping assembly invade up of ferrule 16 and nut 17. The nut is retained on shell 24 by internal threads on the rear end of shell 24, such threaded connection being `designated 46. Theferrule and nut are of such axial length that, when the inner end of the ferrule engages -the"outer end of shell 24 and the nut is screwed home,

4 internal shoulder `47 on nut 17 forceably engages external shoulder 50 on the out-er end of the ferrule.

Within the ferrule 16 there is provided a rubber sleeve or grommet member 52 (not shown in Fig. 3). Member 52 has a plurality of passages 53 therethrough through which the wires 30 of cable 57 extend. Each of passages 53 is provided with a shallow internal flange 54, preferably positioned generally at the cable constricting zone 58 of ferrule 16, whereby when the nut 17 is screwed home the grommet 52 strongly grips and effects a seal with the wires 30 of cable 57.

Preferably nut 17 has a knurled periphery 55, the axially inner end of which is freely received within the axially outwardly extending hood 56 on sleeve 15. Inwardly of its knurled periphery, nut 17 is of a reduced diameter somewhat exceeding the inner diameter of ange 37. The inner end 46r of nut 17 forms a shoulder which is somewhat spaced from flange 37 when sleeve 15 has been advanced" tothe left and lies in the fully'engaged position shown in Fig. 4.

Flange 37 and the inner end 46 of nut 17 cooperate, when sleeve 15 has been turned to release the bayonet connection, to forni a means whereby connector-separating force may be exerted on part 11 of the connector without subjecting cable 57 to any such force. Thus, with the bayonet connection released, a pull upon sleeve 15 to the right (Fig. 4) causes flange 37 to engage endv or shoulder 46 of nut 17, whereby the connector-separat-Y ing force is transmitted from sleeve I15 directly to the shell 24 of connector part 11.

The embodiment of the connector of the invention shown in Figs. 7, 8, and 9 differs from that of the first described embodiment in the character of the bayonet slots or grooves in the locking sleeve. Not only does the sleeve in the second embodiment effect locking to-` gether of the main connector parts when turned to fully engaged position, but when turned sufficiently in the reverse direction it not only unlocks the main connector parts but also functions to jack the two main connector parts away from each other. The main elements in the embodiment of Figs. 7, 8, and 9 which are essentially the same as those in Figs. 1-6, inclusive, are designated by the same reference characters but with an added prime.

The bayonet grooves 60 in the forward hood portion 35 of locking nut 15 extend radially into the hood p0rtion for only a fraction of the thickness of the latter, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8, and have their forward or outer ends, which lie generally along a helix, extending completely outwardly to the forward end of hood portion 35. As in the case of the first embodiment, three equally spaced bayonet pins 31' on main part 10' and bayonet grooves 60 in hood portion 35 are employed. Two of such pins and grooves are shown in each of Figs. 7 and 8.

The configuration of grooves 60, in the embodiment shown, 'will be more fully understood upon consideration of Fig. 9 which shows a groove 60 in developed form. As there shown, groove 60 is inclined generally at an angle a with respect to a transverse plane normal to the axis of sleeve 15 in the vicinity of its forward or pin-entering end, and is inclined at a smaller angle b with respect to such plane in the portion of the groove approaching terminal pin-receiving pocket 61. Angle a somewhat exceeds the helix angle of the main extent of groove 60, and angle b is somewhat less than such helix angle. As a result, in the initial portion of the range of turning of sleeve 15', after pins 31 have just entered grooves 60, the main portions 10 and 14' of the connector are drawn together rapidly, after which such portions are drawn together more slowly and with greater force for a given turning moment of sleeve 15', as the socket and pin contacts of portions 10a11d y14', respectively, approach full engagement.

The hood portion 35 and grooves 60 are of such axial extent, and are so related to the other parts of the connector, that when the pins 31' lie in terminal pockets 61 the rubber-like inserts of connector parts 10 and 14' are preferably in abutment, as in the iirst embodiment. The parts are further so related that, upon turning of sleeve `15 in the -direction indicated by the arrow in, each of Figs. 8` and 9, so as to release the locking sleeve 15', when pins 31 lie somewhat inwardly ofv theforward ends of grooves 6 0 the sleeve will have been thrustA rearwardly to bring flange 37' on the sleeve into engagement with the inner or forward shoulder-forming end 46 of nut 17 Further turning of sleeve 15 in the same direction thus causes pins 31 and the outer ends f grooves 60 to function ,as positive, connector part separating or jacking means. Preferably the parts are so correlated that when pins 31 finally emerge from grooves 60 the socket and pin contacts on the respective connector parts and 14 will have been substam tially or wholly separated.

Although only two embodiments of the electrical connector of the invention have been illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described in the foregoing specification, it is to be expressly understood that the invention is not limited thereto. Thus, for example, the contours of the connector parts may be appreciably changed if desired, as may also be the suggested materials of which the various parts are made. Various other changes may also be made in the design and arrange.L ment of the parts illustrated without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as the same will now be understood by those skilled in the art.

What is claimed is:

l. A separable electrical connector, comprising two shells connectible in alignment, intertitting keying means on the shells whereby to allow their axial approach and retreat while preventing their rotation relative to each other, an insulating insert within each shell, cooperating plug and socket electrical contacts mounted in said respective inserts, and means for selectively drawing the shells toward each other and locking them together with the inner faces of the inserts confronting each other and with said contacts in mating relationship and for unlocking the shells and forcing them substantially apart, said last named means comprising a sleeve rotatably mounted on a first one of the shells, means retaining the sleeve against axial removal in either direction from the first shell, the sleeve yand the second shell having interiitting pin and groove means thereon forming a bayonet connection, the grooves being generally helical throughout their lengths including the ends which the pins enter, a substantial length of the grooves from their pin-entering ends sloping at an angle somewhat exceeding the angle of the main extent of the grooves, and the portions of the grooves adjacent their other, inner ends sloping at an angle somewhat less than the angle of the main extent of the grooves, the pins and grooves of the bayonet connection being so constructed and arranged that in the latter part of their relative movement in the unlocking direction they positively thrust the two shells substantially apart.

2. A separable electrical connector, comprising two shells connectible in alignment, intertitting keying means on the shells whereby to allow their axial approach and retreat while preventing their rotation relative to each other, an insulating insert within each shell, cooperating plug and socket electrical contacts mounted in said respective inserts, and means for selectively drawing the shells toward each other and locking them together with the inner faces of the inserts confronting each other and with said contacts in mating relationship and for unlocking the shells and forcing them substantially apart, said last named means comprising a sleeve rotatably mounted on a first one of the shells, an annular shoulder on the first shell, a radially inwardly directed flange on the sleeve confronting the shoulder, resilient compresgestart sible means interposed between the flange on the sleeve and the shoulder on the iirstshell and opposing movement of the sleeve axially inwardly toward the second shell, means retaining the sleeve against removal axially outwardly of the tirst shell, the sleeve and the second shell having interlitting pin and groove means thereon forming a bayonet connection, the grooves being generally helical throughout their lengths including the ends which the pins enter, a substantial length of the: grooves from their pin-entering ends sloping at an angle somewhat exceeding theA angle of the main extent of lthe grooves, and the portions` of the grooves adjacent their other, inner ends sloping at an angle somewhat less than the angle of the main extent `of the grooves, the pins and grooves of the bayonet'connection being soconstructed and arranged that in the latter part of their relative movement in the unlocking direction they positively thrust the two shells substantially apart.

3. An electrical connector as defined in claim 2 wherein said resilient oompressible means is an annular sinusoidal spring disposed with its general plane transverse to the axis of the sleeve.

4. An electrical connector as dciined in claim 3 comprising an annular seat in the sleeve immediately inwardly of the ange thereon, the radially outer edge of the spring being received in the seat.

S. An electrical connector as defined in claim 2 comprising a nut screwed onto the outer end of the first shell, said sleeve retaining means being formed by a portion of the nut.

6. An electrical connector as defined in claim 5 wherein the sleeve has an axially extending generally cylindrical outer hood portion and at least the inner end of the nut lies within the hood portion of the sleeve.

7. An electrical connector as defined in claim 6 wherein the nut is axially elongated and has an outer end portion extending beyond the hood portion of the sleeve.

8. An electrical connector as defined in claim 7 comprising a ferrule lying within the nut and adapted to embrace a cable passing through the nut and into the first shell, the nut and ferrule being adapted to cooperate to clamp the cable to the first shell.

9. An electrical connector as defined in claim 4 wherein said seat is an annular internal groove in the sleeve adjacent said flange.

10. An electrical connector -as defined in claim 1 where in said sleeve has freedom of limited axial movement relative to said first shell and comprising compressible resilient means for yieldably opposing axial movement of said sleeve on said first shell toward said second shell.

11. An electrical connector -as defined in claim l0 wherein said resilient means is an annular sinusoidal spring disposed with its general plane transverse to the axis of the sleeve.

12. An electrical connector assembly comprising a shell adapted for connection to a mating assembly in alignment therewith, means associated with said shell and adapted for cooperation with the mating assembly whereby to allow for their axial approach and retreat while preventing their rotation relative to each other, an insulating insert mounted in said shell, an electrical contact mounted in said insert and adapted to mate with an electrical contact mounted in an insert of the mating assembly, a sleeve rotatably mounted on said shell for limited axial movement thereon, a plurality of grooves in said sleeve adapted for cooperation with pins on the mating assembly to form a bayonet connection :for selectively drawing the shell toward the mating assembly and locking them together with the adjacent end faces of the inserts confronting each other and with said contacts in mating relationship and for unlocking the shell and mating assembly and forcing them substantially apart, said grooves being generally helical throughout their lengths including the ends which the pins enter, a substantial length of the grooves from their pin-entering ends all average pitch angleof Athe grooves, andjtheportions.

of the grooves'. adjacent their-other,` innerends sloping at f a pitcli angle somewhat less, than Vthe over-all average.

pitch angle of the grooves, said grooves being adapted tocooperate with said pins and said sleeve being cooperable with` saidvshell in 'a` manner suchthat duringthe latter part,oft-herotaiyv unlocking movement of,y said sleeve relative to. the shell the latter is substantially apart from the matingY assembly.

132 An electrical connector as delined in claim 12, wherein the .helical grooves have smooth, gradual curvatures throughout't-heir lengths beginning at the forward, outer edge of the slee've.

14.A electrical connector as defined in claim` 12, wherein at lea'st the major portions ofthe helical grooves are internal grooves having a radial depth less than the wall:tilltg121'1f-l,Ss` of the sleeve,

References, Cited@ theme Qf this. valent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,411,861 Antony D ee,A 3, 1,946 2,499,937` Deiss Dec. 6.,' 19493 2,540,012 sa`1a fi' Jan.y 30, 1951" 2,561,677 sounau July 24, 1951. 2,642,474 BOV/a1 'Jull 16, Y 1953; 2,762,025 Melcher Sept. 4, l1956 2,785,384 wickesser Mar'.y 12, 1957A` QTHER RWEFFJRErICKESy Y Amphenol, Eng. News, May-June 1957, page,419. 

